Timeline publishing system

Abstract

The present invention generally relates to a software system for publishing graphical items and more particularly to a software system operative to create timelines that may be displayed on a computer. The software system includes a data entry section operative to receive a starting date and a finishing date for an event from the user of the system. In communication with the data entry section is a time box creating section operative to create a time box displayable on the computer. The time box created by the software system corresponds to the period of time between the starting date and the ending date entered by the user with the data entry section and may include a photo and/or image depicting the event. Finally, the software system further includes a linking section operative to link the time box to an event page. The event page comprises information corresponding to the event having the starting date and finishing date entered by the user into the data entry section. Accordingly, the timeline publishing software system of the present invention is operative to create an interactive timeline displayable upon a computer.

1 . A method of creating an interactive timeline with a computer, the method performed by a user interacting with software running on the computer, the method comprising the steps of: 
 a) entering a starting date for an event into the computer;    b) entering an ending date for the event into the computer;    c) entering information that occurred during the period of time between the starting date and the ending date for the event into the computer;    d) creating a time box with the computer, the time box corresponding to a period of time between the starting date and the ending date; and    e) linking the time box to an event page wherein the event page comprises the information entered in step (c).    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein step (d) further comprises labeling the time box.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein step (d) further includes importing a photograph into the time box.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein step (e) comprises creating the event page on the computer prior to linking the time box therewith.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein step (d) comprises creating the time box so that it is displayed vertically on a screen of the computer.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 (f) repeating steps (a)-(d) in order to create multiple time boxes for the interactive timeline; and    (g) linking respective time boxes to respective ones of the event pages containing information about respective events.    
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein step (e) comprises linking the time box to multiple event pages.  
   
   
       8 . A method of creating an interactive timeline with a computer, the method performed by a user interacting with software running on the computer, the method comprising the steps of: 
 a) entering a starting date for a first event into the computer;    b) entering an ending date for a last event into the computer;    c) entering information corresponding to events that occurred during the period of time between the starting date for the first event and the ending date for the last event into the computer;    d) creating a time box with the computer, the time box corresponding to a period of time between the starting date for the first event and the ending date for the last event; and    e) linking the time box to an event page wherein the event page comprises the information entered in step (c).    
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein step (e) comprises creating the event page prior to linking the time box thereto.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising: 
 (f) repeating steps (a)-(d) in order to create multiple time boxes for the interactive timeline; and    (g) repeating step (e) in order to link time boxes created in step (d) to respective event pages containing information about the events.    
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 8  wherein step (e) comprises linking the time box to multiple event pages.  
   
   
       12 . A timeline software publishing system for a computer comprising: 
 a data entry section that receives a starting date and an ending date for an event from a user;    a time box creating section that creates a time box using information corresponding to the event the information received from the user the time box displayable on the computer, the time box corresponding to a period of time between the starting date and the ending date; and    a linking section that links the time box to an event page, the event page comprising the information corresponding to the event.    
   
   
       13 . The timeline publishing system of  claim 12  further comprising an event page creation section operative to create the event page prior to linking the time box to the event page.  
   
   
       14 . The timeline publishing system of  claim 12  wherein: 
 the data entry section further receives respective starting dates and respective ending dates for multiple events;    the time box creating section further creates time boxes corresponding to respective ones of the multiple events; and    the linking section further links the time boxes to respective ones of the event pages comprising information corresponding to the events.    
   
   
       15 . The timeline publishing system of  claim 12  further comprising a labeling section operative to create a label for the time box.  
   
   
       16 . The timeline publishing system of  claim 12  wherein the time box creating section creates the time box so that it is displayed vertically on a screen of the computer.